American Medical ID

What a Busy Week! Veterans Day, National NP Week & World Diabetes Day.

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:36:26 +0000

At American Medical ID we always try to be aware of what is going on in the news and more importantly, we try to recognize important events and holidays. Well, the second week in November was quite a busy one full with many important happenings and events!

First and foremost we would like to formally recognize Veterans Day and extend our most sincere appreciation to all of the Veterans of our nation. For information, please visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs site at: www.va.gov.

Also, here is a great link to a National Geographic article that explains what Veterans Day is, who it is for and why it is always November 11^th. There are some great pictures of Arlington National Cemetery. Click here: http://is.gd/4Tuc0

Did you know this week was also National Nurse Practitioner Week? We would also like to thank all the Nurse Practitioners that are the primary care providers of choice for many patients and many of our customers.

To find a Nurse Practitioner or to learn more about the services they provide, click here: http://www.npfinder.com/.

Finally, we would like to remind everyone that this Saturday, November 14^th is World Diabetes Day. According to www.WorldDiabetesDay.org, the purpose of this campaign is to promote awareness of diabetes and to help all those responsible for diabetes care to understand this condition.

As you can see, several major events occurred this week. Please take a moment to recognize the importance of all three.

Carthy Picton
American Medical ID
Marketing

What’s Coming This Holiday Season?

admin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:47:24 +0000

Is it just me, or do the holidays come earlier each and every year? I was at the mall today with my family and was shocked to see Santa was already taking photos with children! I guess that means the Holidays are officially here! What did I miss? I thought we just made it through Halloween! I feel like I must be behind on my holiday shopping already.

I do enjoy this time of year and the excitement that comes with it. Working for a medical ID jewelry company is even more exciting since we will soon be launching several new product lines just in time for gift-giving! It’s a thrill to be involved in the creation and implementation of these new designs. We try to listen to our customer suggestions and launch stylish new product lines. Yet at American Medical ID we are always very aware of making all new designs still distinctly a medical ID. We want our customers to be protected in those unforeseen situations!

So, keep an eye on our site over the coming weeks and watch your email for great sales and promotions. And, most of all, try to remember to slow down a bit and enjoy the holiday season!

Liz Gabel
American Medical ID
Interactive Sales Marketing

Food Allergies and Trick-or-Treating

admin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:25:58 +0000

About this time next week many of you will be making those final tweaks to your costumes, filling your candy bowls and making sure you have plenty of batteries for your flashlight. That’s right…another Halloween night is upon us! While Halloween is all about fun and candy, there are still many important things you need to consider before heading out into the night, especially if your child has a food allergy.

We all know the basic Halloween safety tips but have you ever thought about the extra precautions the parent of a child with a food allergy must consider?

Here is a short list of tips from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) that is sure to help parents protect their children with food allergies during Halloween:

Be sure your child carries emergency medication, such as an epinephrine auto-injector.
Before Halloween, distribute safe snacks to neighbors and request that they be handed out to your child.
Accompany younger children as they trick-or-treat, or be sure they are supervised by a responsible adult who knows how to handle an emergency allergic reaction.
Remember that small candy bars passed out to trick-or-treaters may have different ingredients than their regular-size counterparts. Even if a certain candy is safe for your child, the ‘fun size’ version might not be.

You can even download a full version of these tips from the AAAAI site by clicking here: http://is.gd/4xRfX

At American Medical ID we know the importance of identifying those with a food allergy so we would also recommend that your child wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace, engraved with the foods your child should avoid, while trick-or-treating. To view some of our products, CLICK HERE.

For even more information about trick-or-treating and keeping your child safe during Halloween, here are a couple of sites we found helpful:

Carthy Picton

Marketing

American Medical ID

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

admin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:53:34 +0000

As many of you may know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of this campaign. It is estimated that 193,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in the US this year. Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women today.¹

If you look around you, you will see the unique things people are doing to help promote awareness of this disease and the efforts to find a cure. For instance, this past Saturday over 30,000 people participated in the 2009 Komen Houston Race for the Cure ®. The event is expected raise almost $3 million, of which 75 cents of every dollar collected will be used to treat, screen and educate the medically underserved in the Houston area.

Also, along with many others, last night I was watching the Steelers vs. Chargers game and couldn’t help but be touched by all of the different ways these professional athletes and coaches are showing their support. From pink shoes, pink sweatbands and pink ribbon stickers on helmets, it was awesome to see the NFL getting involved this year. When thinking of the millions of people that watch NFL football, you can see how widespread this campaign is.

To find out more about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and ways to get involved, click here: http://www.nbcam.org.

Carthy Picton
Marketing
American Medical ID

¹ http://www.nbcam.org/disease_breast_cancer.cfm

Introducing the USB Dog Tag ID

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:39:45 +0000

It is always exciting when a new product is launched! I am especially excited about the launch of new technology! Last week American Medical ID launched its latest medical ID and USB! This is a first of its kind…taking a medical ID and incorporating the technology of a USB flash drive. The USB Dog Tag ID is personally engraved with your most important medical information. It is also engraved with “USB Contains Medical Information” making it evident that MORE medical information is available on the USB itself. What an amazing combination!

The 1GB USB can store your medical conditions, emergency contacts, doctors’ names, insurance information, and important documents (such as living wills, donor cards, EKGs, X-rays, etc.). The password protected USB Dog Tag ID, is compatible with Windows® Vista/ XP, Mac OS X 10.5.6.

Liz Gabel
American Medical ID
Interactive Sales

Army Wives: Diabetes and Medical IDs

admin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:28:44 +0000

I was an avid watcher of Army Wives when it premiered. Then life got the better of me and I just couldn’t keep up. Many of my co-workers were much more diligent than I. So when it was mentioned to me that the topic of diabetes was worked into the latest several episodes, my interest was renewed and I made a concerted effort to tune in.

To summarize, Kim Delaney’s character, Claudia Joy goes in for tests after a bad car accident and is diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Her doctor discusses the seriousness of diabetes, all the risks involved and proper management through insulin, monitored blood glucose levels and diet. We see her go through a range of emotions until another person with diabetes helps her come to terms with her condition.

It’s refreshing to see an honest, educational portrayal of the seriousness of diabetes. In addition, the inclusion of the importance of wearing a medical ID is wonderfully portrayed in episode 14, (Air Date: 09/13/09 chapter 1) when Claudia Joy’s husband takes the initiative to protect her by giving her a beautiful medical ID bracelet. Although Claudia Joy rebuffs the bracelet initially, by the end of the episode (chapter 4) she reconsiders and puts the ID on.

It truly is important to know that besides treating diabetes effectively through proper medical care a successful treatment program should include wearing a medical ID. Great job Lifetime! (Oh, in case you were wondering… yes, the medical ID is our very own Premier Bracelet. Nice choice Michael!).

Andrea Rucker
American Medical ID

Calling All Walkers!! For the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network: Walk for Food Allergy

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:13:32 +0000

Did you know that food allergy affects 12 million Americans, or one in 25 people? Did you know there is something you can do to help raise awareness of food allergy and the effect it has on a community?

American Medical ID is doing just that this Saturday morning…rain or shine! We are participating as Bronze Sponsor at our local FAAN: Walk for Food Allergy in Houston, Texas. With a lot of hard work and dedication, we have a team of 41 people that will be walking to support this wonderful organization and cause. Here is a link to the 2009 walk locations. I bet there is one near you in the coming weeks: http://is.gd/39C6n.

If anyone resides in Houston, TX we would love for you to drop by our booth to say hello. If you can’t make it by the booth, you will easily be able to spot us in our company t-shirts we had created especially for this event. Also, stay tuned for pictures and maybe even videos we will take during and after the walk.

For more information about the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, please visit their site at: www.foodallergy.org

Also, please remember that if you or a loved one has a food allergy you should wear a medical ID bracelet or medical ID necklace.

Carthy Picton

American Medical ID

Marketing

Fall Newsletter

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:21:53 +0000

We just sent out our Fall Newsletter! Want to be on our mailing list? Just visit our website and sign up today!

Welcome to the Fall Newsletter!
This is the third of 4 quarterly Newsletters you will receive thisyear!

American Medical ID will soon market the first ever engravable USB Dog Tag ID necklace. Engrave your most important medical highlights on the external surface of the USB Dog Tag ID…house your more detailed information on the form provided inside the ID on the USB drive. It’s the perfect combination of the tried and true and newer technology.

You’ll be hearing more about it from us and in the media. Stay tuned!

With the arrival of fall – finally – remember that the holiday season will soon be upon us. Consider an engraved medical ID bracelet or necklace as a gift idea for someone close to you. With our recent new
collections, your gift can have the “wow” factor of a piece of fine jewelry while giving peace of mind at the same time.

Speaking of WOW, check out our latest addition to the Odyssey Collection. Read about it below.

Now that it is cooler, why not start a walking program this fall? And what better way to start than walking for a cure. Join American Medical ID in supporting the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network:
Walk for Food Allergy by participating in one of its many walks across the U.S. See the link below.

Finally, we’ve offered some articles and recipes we thought you might find of interest. Have a great fall season!

Rick Russell
President & CEO, American Medical ID

Coming Soon!
USB Dog Tag ID

Introducing the 1st engravable USB Dog Tag Medical ID! Yes, that’s right…you can engrave the dog tag medical ID AND store your most important medical information on the USB. All in one!!!
This 1GB USB is perfect to store your:
• Medical Conditions
• Emergency Contacts
• Doctors’ Names
• Insurance Information
• Documents
STAY TUNED…

Back-to-School and Your Child’s Safety

admin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:02:33 +0000

It’s that time of year! Our kids are heading back to school and there is so much to do! I am sure many of you are scrambling to get your last minute supplies and new clothes before that first day.

We know it’s easy to get wrapped up in the simple things but there are many important things you can’t overlook before you send your child off. When searching for relevant and interesting information to include in our weekly Health Briefs, we couldn’t help but notice all of the awesome tips we have come across to help us prepare and most importantly, to keep our children safe when they start school.

Here is a quick list of some of the best advice we have found:

- About 3% of kids have food allergies so you should do the following:

· Make a plan and get a letter from your child’s doctor that outlines the allergies

· Meet with the school nurse to develop an Individualized Health Plan (IHP)

- Have your child’s vision screened annually

- Make sure your child’s immunizations are up-to-date

- If your child receives medication on a regular basis for diabetes, asthma or any other chronic condition, make sure your child’s teachers and nurse are aware of your child’s needs

This list goes on and on and we encourage you to take a quick look at the two articles listed below for a more comprehensive list of these important notes:

- The Ultimate Back-to-School Health Checklist by New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital: http://is.gd/2qEkl

- Food Allergies go Back to School Too, by HealthyHouston Kids http://is.gd/2qEle

Please remember that if your child has any allergies or a chronic disorder such as asthma or diabetes, a medical ID will help communicate their needs in an emergency situation while away at school.

Carthy Picton

American Medical ID

Marketing

Personal Health Records are a Tool For Managing Your Health

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:03:08 +0000

You’ve probably begun to hear a lot of buzz surrounding personal health records. What are these and how could one benefit you? In one of our recent Health News Briefs we featured a great article on personal health records. The article explained the benefits and, possibly, even the drawbacks to having your own pesonal health record. The most important thing to remember is that YOU are in control of your health information.

Read the complete article from the Mayo Clinic: Personal Health Record: A Tool for Managing Your Health.

Did you know that American Medical ID now offers the e•MedTAG? This is our own 1GB USB thumbdrive designed for storing your personal medical information. Learn more about the e•MedTAG on our website.

Liz Gabel
American Medical ID
Interactive Sales